The Fat of the Land eBook

CHAPTER XVI

WINTER WORK

The new year opened full of all sorts of interests
and new projects. There were so many things to
plan for and to commence at the farm that we often
got a good deal mixed up. I can hardly expect
to make a connected narrative of the various plans
and events, so will follow each one far enough to
launch it and then leave it for future development.

Little snow fell in January and February ’96.
The weather was average winter weather, and a good
deal of outdoor work was done. On the 2d I went
to the farm to plan with Thompson an outline for the
two months. I had decided to make Thompson the
foreman, for I had watched him carefully for five
months and was satisfied that I might go farther and
fare a great deal worse. Indeed, I thought myself
very fortunate to have found such a dependable man.
He was temperate and good-natured, and he had a bluff,
hearty way with the other men that made it easy for
them to accept his directions. He was thorough,
too, in his work. He knew how a job should be
done, and he was not satisfied until it was finished
correctly. He was not a worker for work’s
sake, as was Anderson, but he was willing to put his
shoulder to the wheel for results.

“Wait till I get my shoulder under it,”
was a favorite expression with him, and I am frank
to say that when this conjunction took place there
was apt to be something doing. Thompson is still
at Four Oaks, and it will be a bad day for the farm
when he leaves.

“Thompson,” said I, “you are to
be working foreman out here, and I want you to put
your mind on the business and keep it there. I
cannot raise your wages, for I have a system; but
you shall have $50 as a Christmas present if things
go well. Will you stay on these terms?”

“I will stay, all right, Dr. Williams, and I
will give the best I’ve got. I like the
looks of this place, and I want to see how you are
going to work it out.”

That being settled, I told Thompson of some things
that must be done during January and February.

“You must get out a great lot of wood, have
it sawed, and store it in the shed, more than enough
for a year’s use. The wood should be taken
from that which is already down. Don’t cut
any standing trees, even though they are dead.
Use all limbs that are large enough, but pile the
brushwood where it can be burned. We must do wise
forestry in these woods, and we will have an unlimited
supply of fuel. I mean that the wood lot shall
grow better rather than worse as the years go by.
We cannot do much for it now, but more in time.
You must see to it that the men are not careless about
young trees,—­no breaking or knocking down
will be in order. Another thing to look after
is the ice supply. I will get Nelson to build
an ice-house directly, and you must look around for
the ice. Have you any idea as to where it can
be had?”